GP phone lines blocked by people asking when they will receive vaccine

A Berkshire NHS group has urged people not to ring GP surgeries to find out when they will get their COVID vaccine. 

Writing on Facebook on Friday, the NHS East Berkshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) said this was causing phone lines to become blocked for people in need of telephone assistance. 

People are being asked not to phone the NHS or their GPs directly about when they will receive the jab.   

"Please don’t contact the NHS to seek a vaccine, we will contact you," the CCG's post said. 

"When we do contact you, please attend your booked appointments, and please continue to follow all the guidance to control the virus and save lives."

The East Berkshire CCG is also telling people not to 'assume' they have been missed out because a neighbour has had an invite. 

"Our GP surgeries are reporting their phone lines being blocked by patients and their family members calling to ask when they will get the vaccine," the social media post added.

"This means that practices are being hindered from making outgoing calls, booking appointments, or taking calls from those who need urgent care.

"Please do not call the practice to ask why you haven’t been invited, or assume that you’ve been missed because your neighbour has already had their vaccine."